Volume I Part 31 (1/2)

”Yes, but it is a secret, a great secret”

She had put the glorious garment into a cupboard, and ca

”Yes,” she continued, ”it is a new overcoat that I have hadabout it, as it will not be officially announced for a month or six weeks, and you were not to have known till your return froed it for you”

”Rosselin!” he contrived to utter in his joy; ”he has obtained the decoration for lass of water

A little piece of white paper fell to the floor out of the pocket of the overcoat Caillard picked it up; it was a visiting-card, and he read out:

”Rosselin--Deputy”

”You see how it is,” said his wife

He almost cried with joy, and, a week later, it was announced in the _Journal Officiel_ that M Caillard had been awarded the Legion of Honor on account of his exceptional services

THE ACCURSED BREAD

Daddy Taille had three daughters: Anna, the eldest, as scarcely ever hteen; and Clara, the youngest, as a girl of fifteen

Old Taille was a er, and a foreman in M Lebruht ht of, abstemious; in fact a sort of ouleme

When Anna ran away the old e He threatened to kill the seducer, as head clerk in a large draper's establishment in that town Then, when he was told by various people that she was keeping very steady and investing adabout, but was kept by a Mons Dubois, as a judge of the Tribunal of Commerce, the father was appeased

He even showed so on, asked soetting on; and when told that she had her own furniture, and that her mantelpiece was covered with vases and the walls with pictures, that there were clocks and carpets everywhere, he gave a broad, contented sether a wretched five or six thousand francs This girl was evidently no fool

One finethe son of Touchard, the cooper, at the other end of the street, cairl

The old an to beat, for the Touchards were rich and in a good position He was decidedly lucky with his girls

The reed upon, and it was settled that it should be a grand affair, and the wedding dinner was to be held at Sainte-Adresse, at Mother Lusa's restaurant It would cost a lot certainly; but never mind, it did not , just as the old hters the door opened suddenly, and Anna appeared She was elegantly dressed, wore rings and an expensive bonnet, and looked undeniably pretty and nice She threw her arms round her father's neck before he could say a word, then fell into her sister's arms with ht share the family soup Taille was moved to tears in his turn and said several tiht”

Then she told the to take place at Sainte-Adresse,--certainly not It should take place at her house, and would cost her father nothing She had settled everything and arranged everything, so it was ”no good to say any more about it,--there!”

”Very well, my dear! very well!” the old man said, ”ill leave it so” But then he felt some doubt Would the Touchards consent? But Rose, the bride-elect, was surprised and asked, ”Why should they object, I should like to know? Just leave that to me, I will talk to Philip about it”

She mentioned it to her lover the very same day, and he declared that it would suit hihted at the idea of a good dinner which would cost the, and said:

”Youwill be in first-rate style, as M Dubois isa friend, Mreed to everything

The wedding was fixed for the last Tuesday of the month